Benefits of Using a Water Softener
It’s inexpensive to use a water softener. It uses less than $3 in electricity per year.2
A water softener only needs about 2.5 pounds of salt. That’s 80 percent less salt than dial-style softeners.
Soft water can make cleaning more effortless, help your appliances run longer and help you avoid plumbing clogs.
Clog-Free Plumbing and Fixtures
Soft water helps water flow easily in plumbing. Hard water causes mineral coatings to accumulate in your pipes and fixtures. This can lead to clogs and decreased water pressure.
Showerheads in homes with hard water can lose 75 percent of their flow rate in shorter than 18 months. Soft water maintains the brilliance and full flow for faucets and showerheads, nearly as well as the day they were put in.
Soft water is lacks minerals. It doesn’t leave deposits in pipes or constrict water flow in fixtures.
Longer-Lasting Appliances
Over time, hard water can cause minerals to build up in your washing machine and dishwasher.
The mineral deposits in hard water make limescale when they get hot. This can coat the heating elements in your appliances, reducing life span and efficiency.
As a result, your appliances may need regular fixes or need to be replaced sooner.
Efficient Water Heaters
Soft water protects the efficiency of water heaters.
Gas storage and tankless water heaters operating on soft water hold on to the factory efficiency rating over a 15-year life span. In comparison, using hard water for a gas water heater can cut efficiency by up to 48 percent.
If you use an electric water heater, up to 30 pounds of rock-like scale can accumulate in the tank from hard water. The scale is an inferior heat conductor. It can reduce the life of your heating element, because it has to work longer to heat water.
Soft Skin, Brighter Laundry and Cleaner Dishes
Hard water minerals accumulate on your skin and in your hair, causing it to look dull. It can also cause painful razor burn.
Soft water is better at washing away soap residue, so you’ll have silkier skin and shinier hair. Plus, your clothes will look more colorful and your dishes will look more flawless.
Less Soap and Cleaning Time
When you have hard water, you have to use more soap for a satisfactory lather. The minerals in hard water react with soap. This makes a scum on sinks.
With soft water, you won’t need to spend as much time cleaning to eliminate soap scum. You’ll also use less cleaning supplies.